Hair-curlers



June 30, 1959 1 LECLABAR-r 2,892,460

` HAIR-CURLERS Filed March 1 8, 1958 Fiori n s 1I' ga 9 OCWCTOOCCi United States Patent vY() HAIR-CURLERS Jean Leclabart, Paris, France Application March 18,1958, No. 722,165 Claims priority, application France March 25, 19517 2 Claims. (Cl. 132-41) This invention relates tohair-curlers and has for its speciiic object an improved lhair-curler on which the hair may be woundin view` offorming loops and waves therein. This hair curler is' specially designed with the view of permitting its withdrawal without undoing the roll of hair, whereas conventional-type hair-curlers cannot be removed unlessfthe previously Ywound lock of hair is unwound therefrom. Y

The improved hair-curlers according to this invention is characterized in that the curler body or mandrel consists of a resilient sheet member rolled into a cylinder having the shape of Ia split sleeve, the two longitudinal edges of the sheet being spaced from each other so that the cylinder is expansible or, in other words, its diameter may be increased by using any suitable tool, and kept in its expanded condition. Thus, the expanding members may consist of frustoconical plugs adapted to engage either ends of the mandrel.

Thus, the hair-curler is expanded before its actual use and while in this condition the lock of hair is wound thereon. When the user subsequently wishes to remove the hair-curler Without unwinding the lock, he simply removes the hair-curler expanding members and the hair-curler will contract itself automatically, that is, by its inherent resiliency, so that it can be removed quite easily by sliding it laterally from inside the roll of Wound hair.

According to a typical form of embodiment of this invention, one of the two edges of the split resilient sleeve is provided with a set of comb teeth which does not project to the outside in the non-expanded condition but projects somewhat in the expanded position of the hair-curler, thereby further facilitating the winding of the hair lock on the hair curler.

In order to aord a clearer understanding of this invention and of the manner in which the same may be carried out in the practice, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing showing a typical embodiment of the invention. In the drawing:

Figure l is an elevational view showing the hair-ourlet body in its non-expanded condition;

Figure 2 is a section taken upon the line II-II of Fig. l;

Figure 3 is an elevational view showing another form of embodiment of the hair-curler according to this invention, in its non-expanded condition;

Figure 4 is a section taken upon the `line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Figure 5 is an isometric view showing the hair-curler body of Fig. 3 but in its expanded condition;

Figure 6 is a section taken upon the line VI-VI of Fig. 5; I

Figure 7 is an elevational view showing the hair-curler of this invention with a lock of hair wound thereon, and

Figures 8 and 9 are other isometric views illustrating a hair-curler body in lts expanded and non-expanded conditions, respectively.

Referring to Figs. l and 2 of the drawing, the ref- ICC erence numerall designates the resilient sheet, consisting for example of a blank cut from suitable metal stock, which is rolled up to a substantially cylindrical shape andhaving its two longitudinal edges 2, 2a somewhat spaced from each other. As a result, this sheet rolled to the shape of a split sleeve constitutes the body of the hair curler or mandrel and is expansible due to yits inherent resiliency, so that when a proper stress is applied thereto from the outside the diameter of the sleeve may be increased to a substantial degree, Ias shown at 1a in Fig. 2.

According to a modified embodiment, illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, one of the longitudinal edges, for example the edge 2, of the resilient sheet is provided, throughout its length, with a set of comb teeth v3. v

In either of these two formsfof embodiment the expanding members may consist, for vall practical purposes, of frustoconical plugs 4 adapted to be forced through the end apertures of the mandrel in order to expand same and also maintain it in this expanded condition, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Thus, more particularly, it will be seen-that in the form of embodiment shown. in Figs. 3 tol 6, lthe comb teeth which, in the non-expanded condition, does not project from the outer surface of the cylinder (Fig. 4), while in the expanded condition (Fig. 6) these teeth are disposed outside the cylinder.

Fig. 7 shows a lock of hair wound on the hair-curler in combination with means suitable for use in view of holding this lock of hair on the curler.

This device consists of a ball or like member 5 adapted partially to engage a part spherical seat or concavity 6 formed in one of the two frustoconical plugs and which is connected through resilient link means 7 to the plug engaging the opposite end of the mandrel 1.

Before utilizing the hair-curler according to this invention, care must be taken that -it is expanded to its maximum diameter by properly inserting the expanding members consisting for example of the aforesaid frustoconical plugs. The lock of hair to be curled may then be wound on the device according to the usual practice (see Fig. 8). When the hair-curler of the type illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 is utilized, the lock of hair is anchored and wound more conveniently by using the projecting teeth 3. The hair-curler is held in its expanded condition during all the time the lock of hair is being wound.

To remove the hair-curler of this invention without unwinding the lock of hair therefrom, it is suicient to cause the hair-curler body to contract by removing the expanding plugs 4.

Thus, the hair-curler will automatically resume its initial shape or smaller diameter. As the inner diameter -of the roller-shaped lock of hair 8 is equal to the maximum diameter of the device in its expanded position, the reduction in the haircurler diameter will develop a certain clearance between the device and the lock of hair. Thus, the hair-curler may slide freely in the roll of hair and removed laterally in the direction of the arrow f, for example, from one end of this roll (see Fig. 9).

In spite of the presence of a set of teeth 3, the haircurler illustrated in Figs. 3 to 7 may be removed as easily as the one shown in Figs. l and 2. In fact, the teeth 3 in the contracted condition of the device are retracted and even covered by the other edge ofthe split sleeve. Thus, the hair-curler is free of any projection likely to interfere with its easy removal.

Of course, the hair may be treated or dried either be- Vfore being wound on the haircurler, or when wound thereon, or even after being removed therefrom.

The possibility of removing the lock of hair from the hair-curler of this invention without unwinding the hair constitutes a substantial advantage and facilitates the application of certain hairdressing techniques.

Thus, by contracting or removing the hair-ourlet, any stress may be removed from the lock of hair, for example in view of curling very fragile hair or'utilizing cer-tain products ,for permanent-wave hairdressing applications.

0n the other hand,the thus wound roll'of hair may be dried more `rapidly after the device has been. removed.

After the removal of the hair-ourlet of this invention, the roll of hair may be left in its resulting shape, that is with its axis somewhat perpendicular tothe head, or attened sidewise to form a kind of attened cylinder or a series of relatively at curls that `rnay be held in position by a clip having substantially the same length as the roller. Thus, according to the desired style of hair.- dressing, it is possible to form automatically, by. wide sections, rows of relief-curled hair or fiat-curled hair, or any desired wave designs.

It will be readily understood by anybody conversant with the artvthat many detail modifications may be brought to the hair-curler according to this invention Without departing` from the spirit fand scope of the invention asset forth in the appended claims.

Thus, as shown in the ligures of the drawings, the resilient sheet material utilized in the manufacture of the mandrel or split sleeve may be perforated to facilitate the passage of treatment liquids or drying air through the device.

What I claim as new is:

1. An hair-ourlet comprising a sheet of resilient material rolled on itself to constitute a split sleeve having its longitudinal edges spaced from each other, the rst of said longitudinal edges overlapping the other one, said other edge having a set of aligned teeth formed thereon which are normally concealed by said iirst edge, two frustoconical plugs adapted to be inserted in the end apertures of said sleeve `to cause the expansion of said sleeve, said expansion causing in turn said teeth to project from the outer surface of the sleeve.

2. A n hair-curler set forth claim 1, wherein ia concavity is formed in the outer larger face of one of said frustoconical plugs, a resilient link secured on said other frustoconical plug, a ball carried by said resilient link and adapted to fit in said concavity of said one plug, when said plugs are both inserted in the end apertures of said sleeve, thereby ensuring a resilient coupling therebetween and holding said plugs in PQSitiOl 

